Fun with Frosting

We purchased a Gingerbread House kit from Albertson's a while back and finally got around to completing it last night. We had a lot of fun and took pics to share. Here are a few of them.

Less than a week....

We are less than 1 week away from Christmas and the excitment is building. There are still a lot of things to do but it is a fun time of year. I'm excited to see the kids Christmas morning as they open their presents. I'm excited to see family and just hang around and enjoy the company. I can't wait to see everyone.

The last couple of months have been really hectic between working 2 jobs and trying to maintain a family, house, etc. Christmas is one of those times where you can focus on something different. It's a time where you can sit back and just enjoy each other, play games, have some food, and just be together.

So, as we get closer, take a moment to breath in the season. Listen to a carol or two, sing along if you are so inclined, and just enjoy as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

In the immortal words of Tiny Tim, "God Bless Us, Everyone."

Enjoying the FM 100 Mini-Concerts

Tis the season!! I'm pretty sure that most of you are aware that FM 100, here in Salt Lake City do these Mini-Concerts at the ZCMI Mall, downtown. Anyway, I have pretty much listened to them since I usually forget the 8:30am start time. There are some pretty good concerts, the include artists like Peter Breinholt, Jon Schmidt, Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band, and Donny Osmond to name a few. mostly local bands. Today's concert is going to be good, Voice Male is scheduled to perform. Well it's good and all the concerts I've heard are pretty good and they are all about a half hour long. If you want to listen in go to FM 100 and the listing is there. Enjoy.

Catching up With Old Friends

So this last couple of days has been pretty cool. I got a call from a friend from the college days in Logan. We talked for like 20 minutes and then I decided to email an old friend of mine. It's been nice to talk to the old friends. One of these days I'm going to have a party and invite all of these friends, sort of a reunion. It's good to hear all the good, and unfortunately there is always some bad too. But seems like everyone is doing well and life is good for most people. So I would encourage you that if you haven't talked to an old friend that you've been trying to get a hold of, just do it, find out if your friends are still around and what they are up to these days. It's a good thing to do around the holidays. Merry Christmas.

What's wrong with the truth?

I have to complain for a minute. I got an e-mail the other day from "family" (I use the term loosely because it's on the wife's side, I've never met this particular person, nor do we converse with the exception of recently and mostly to argue.) Anyway, the picture is and the e-mail stated that it was a "once in a 3000 year event" and it leads you to believe that "miracles" have happened just by viewing this picture.


Now, I've seen this many times in my e-mail over the years with the same "crap" comments and description. Here are the facts. (1) This image WAS taken by the Hubble Telescope as stated in the e-mail EXCEPT it is a mosaic of 9 images; (2) The image is of a white dwarf that is going dead. It ejects a bunch of "debris" or material that creates an hourglass type look. If you were to look at it from the side, it would look like an hour glass. Look at the next image and see if you can see what I mean.
(3) The e-mail makes little to no reference to specifics on miracles but Google can't find any that are actually attributed to viewing this image. The event photographed could be considered a universal miracle just like a rose is a miracle or puppies (if you like puppies. If you don't like puppies, well, get over yourself... They are a miracle.)

Okay. Now that I've said that, DON'T ARGUE WITH THE TRUTH!!!!! That description is TRUTH. Like it or not, it is. Me telling you the truth is not being arguementative, it is TELLING THE TRUTH!!!!! It is dispelling a rumor that is CRAP! How stupid are you going to feel if you never get corrected and continue to believe something stupid, then at a dinner party when someone brings up the Helix Nebulae, you say something stupid like, "Ya, its too bad something like that won't happen again in our grandchildren's lifetime" and get laughed out of the party. How bad would that be?

I know this particular incident is not a really big deal but stupid things like "I know a girl who's friend's cousin's roommate had an aquaintance that heard that you could lick an envelope and get cockroach eggs imbedded in your tongue where they will grow and cause your tongue to explode." (You may laugh but this really did circulate the internet for a while. Check This Out.)

So, if you send me something and I send you something back stating it is wrong or needs clarification, LIVE WITH IT. I'm a Skeptic. Get over yourself and your ego. If you find information to the contrary of what I send, forward it to me. If I'm wrong, I'LL ADMIT IT but you have to prove it first. (With real information that can be supported with valid documentation.)

Anyway, I feel better. How about you?

Always check Walmart, first......

So I feel really stupid. Over the course of the last month or so, I have spent some time on eBay shopping and bidding. On several occasions, I have found really good deals. One deal, as I found out, was not so good. Don't get me wrong, the product was good but was it worth what was paid. Here's the scenario.

We are in the process of buying stuff for my 2 youngest daughters. We are going to decorate their room in "Disney Princesses." I found a really neat poster for their room that was only 99 cents. Well, not thinking about it, I purchased. I went through the motions for shipping and handling and all that other fun stuff that goes along with purchasing online.

By the time I got done, my total was $9.97. I felt a little discouraged but still feel that I got a pretty good deal. The poster arrived today and is exactly what I expected. Now, to frame it. On my lunch, I went to Walmart to get a 24"x36" frame. As I wandered the store, I found their posters of which the one I just purchased for $9.97 was with it. They were only ........ $3.96.

Guess you can't win them all.

A Little Disappointed

Last night myself, Chels, and a couple of our friends attended the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert. It included special guests Renee Fleming and Claire Bloom. Let me just say that it wasn't the normal Christmas Concert by the Mo Tab that we are used to. It seemed like it was more of the Renee Fleming concert with the Mo Tab backing her up. We are used to seeing the choir do some of their normal Christmas music, like Joy to the World, and we didn't get to see that. I guess my biggest complaint is that the Special Guest, a.k.a. Headliner, took up most of the show and we didn't get to enjoy the awesome sounds of the Choir and Orchestra. Don't get me wrong the concert was good, just not as good as I expected it to be. Claire Bloom was good, she read a couple stories, on included the clicking sound of her earrings on the microphone that was attached to her ear. She would shake her head and you could hear the clicking sound and it made for a small enough distraction that you could loose your place in the story she was telling. I'm hoping that next year they move back to having a Special Guest join them on a couple of numbers and not inviting a Headliner to take over the concert.

Let Their be Peace on Earth

I want to echo B's comments from his blog Go tell it on the mountain...... Christmas is the best time of the year, most stressful, and sometimes really annoying, but it is a cool time of the year. The one month a year that people spend extra time on the weekends putting up lights and decorations to celebrate this joyous season. I myself get excited because of the fact that we are getting the kids a lot of cool things, learning toys mind you, but they will be loved. So I decided that Santa gets all the glory on Christmas morning in the kids eyes. We are going to get our kids some clothes, but those are from Mom and Dad and not from Santa, he gets to be "awesome" and give the cool toys. Aside from Santa and toys and decorations, I love Christmas because of the Savior. There is a reason for the season and it is nice to remember that at this time of year. He lives and cares for us and gave us the best gift we could possibly ever receive in this life. Let's not forget Him in all the stress and fun that comes with this glorious time of year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

Go tell it on the mountain.....

I just have to say that Christmas music is awesome. I just like how a genre can unite so many different types of groups, plus its a lot of fun to listen to as well. Some songs make you think, others make you laugh, some make you shed a tear but they all have one thing in common, we only listen to them 1 month a year but we can still sing with them each year having not heard them in 11 months.

So, as I sit here listening to Christmas music, I want to say "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year." I hope that you are enjoying the Christmas holidays and the music playing everywhere to celebrate this time of year.

SOOOOO COOOLLL!!!

Check out this link. This is one of the neatest things I've seen put to music and must have taken a lot of time.

Thanksgiving...

Tonight my family will celebrate Thanksgiving.....without me. It is not a good, bad, or indifferent thing and then again it is all 3. I am extremely thankful for many things and, given the holiday, I feel that I will expound on the thanks I have that there will be celebration tonight without me.

First and foremost I know that where ever I am or what ever I am doing, the Lord watches over me. He keeps me safe. He loves me. He provides everything I have and I am truely thankful to be here because of Him. I am also thankful for where I will go, also because of Him.

Second, I am thankful that I have a family that will be celebrating. Without a family, I don't think there would be a reason for living. They are the light and love of my life. From my wife and kids, to my parents and siblings. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and all those that are just family because they mean so much.

I am thankful that I will be missed because it means that I am loved. They love me so much that my absence will be a little bothersome to them but they will also carry on as though I was there to celebrate the holiday and family.

Third, I am thankful for the reason I will not be there and that is my job, or one of them. It means a couple of different things. It means that, since it is a second job, that I am willing to work hard for my family to support them. It means that I am able and capable to do so. It means that I'm not afraid to take on additional responsibilities to do what is necessary for survival and for the benefit of my family.

I am thankful that I am healthy enough to work. I am thankful that I have transportation to and from as well as transportation home. I am thankful that I have a home to go to at the end of the day and for the people and living things there to greet me.

I know there is more to life than working and it is sometimes difficult to be taken away from so much but it is wonderful that there are things to be taken away from. I can't help to think that if I didn't have family or other people in my life, what I would be doing tomorrow. I shudder to think that I would be without any of those things that I am grateful for and realize that its a whole package. You take the good with the bad.

I wouldn't need a second job if I didn't have my wife and kids. So, I think of the trade off and I would take a second job and third if necessary to provide for them. I would suffer and give up sleep to insure that I could watch them grow up or spend a little time with them. I refer to thankful reason #1 for giving me a family and making me work hard to keep and maintain them because He worked so hard on this earth to keep and maintain us. He continues to work today to keep and maintain us.

May you too realize the things that you are thankful for in your life and appreciate what you have. May you also be thankful for the things that seem negative and realize that they are there to keep us humble and to teach us the value of hard work. If it were easy, it wouldn't be worth doing.

Happy Thanksgiving.

A Attempt at Being Sentimental

I let a tear go today. Why, you ask. For myself. For my wife, for my kids, for my family, and for my friends. They are dear to me, more than they may know. Life comes at us fast and for us to stay at it, priorities have to change, life drags the worst out of us. For that I say we should give life the finger sometimes and take time out for those we love. Play hide-and-seek with the kids, give the wife some one-on-one time, hang with the friends, even if it means getting your butt kicked in racquetball, or any other thing you do together. Life is short, things can be taken and given at any moment so live in the now, live life to the fullest and don't forget the little things. It's those that matter.

Gotta Get This Off My Chest

Part of this post is in some sort of response to Ryan's Blog Losing My Religion and part of it is that I need to get some stuff off my chest. I'm not really going to apologize for anything in this entry and if you are offended, that is not my intention. I think that some things have just come to a boil with me and I'm ready to explode. So instead of making a mess all over my cube I'll let it all out on this blog. Hate me if you will, but this is all going to be said from the heart and I hope all will know that I'm doing what I can.

Recently I was talking with my sister and was asking why it was that most of my extended family on my mom's side didn't like me. What I ever really did to them to make them not talk to me or even take all and any chance to avoid me. Her reply was that I moved to Logan, where I attended college, and when I came down, I didn't take time for them. I think this could even extend to the moment I got home from my mission. I got home and instead of taking time to run with the boys and hang with the family, I decided to persue the whole marriage thing and spent a lot of time with the love of my life. I didn't mean to shun friends or come across that I couldn't be their friend, and even now I feel like I'm the a-hole that always ruins the plans that are made because I'm not able to make it. I want all to know that I love hanging out with my friends. There are a lot of things that are important to me and even though I don't wear my feelings on my sleeves, I am hurt at some of the ways that things are said and the way I feel treated when I'm around. I have a role as a father and a husband, and I take that role very seriously. My dad cared about me growing up and knew what was going on in my life from a distance. It hurts, I cry when I watch a movie where the dad is the one that cares for his children and realizes that they are important. I know my kids are important and they always will be #1 in my book. My wife is my life and support. If I didn't have her, life would be a lot different. Sometimes it gets to me that I feel like I'm asking for her permission to go hangout with my friends, but I realize that I have obligations to her and part of that is being around when she needs me. So I'm not always going to be able to just go hangout.

When it comes to friends, I feel that I have the greatest friends a guy could have. I have friends that would back me up in any situation that I was in. I have friends that don't realize that I love them with all my heart and at one time the brotherhood between us was stronger than steel. I know have friends that I feel try to avoid me and think that I don't like them, or look down upon them. Not so! More not so than anyone can even realize. My friends and I didn't become friends because of the religion we belonged too, my friends and I didn't become friends because of the bad things we did, or didn't do. My friends are my friends because they are the people I love to hangout with. It hurts to think that my friends are less my friends because when I came home from college on weekends I didn't make time for them. That I didn't take time, to do anything, and I'll admit to that. Time was scarce when we were here on the weekends with family activities. And my number one argument is that the road to Logan went both ways. I'm here now and I have a house and even though it's way out in the boonies, it's always a place where you can come and hang. I my brothers back regardless of our circumstances in life, you are my brothers and at one point in time we would have been there through thick and thin. Life changes, my fourth child will be born in June of next year, but hopefully that won't stop all the fun-loving uncles and aunts from remembering that these kids are part of their family.

Now, that I made you read that, I want to add a few words for the Losing My Religion blog by Ryan. I want you to know that this decision is yours. I know that Utah is full of Mormons that may look down on you and may shun you for your beliefs, but realize this, you have a loving family that will be there for you. Gospel standards are hard to live life by. It's hard not to agree to a drink when you are hanging out with friends, it's hard not to do some of the things we love because the Prophet says it's bad. Some of the quotes that you quoted were good, but one thing that I have always been told is that ultimately it is up to me to find the truth. I know that President Hinckley is a Prophet of God and that he speaks God's words to us today. But the great thing about the gospel is that we were given agency. That's the beauty of it. We were given agency to deal with life. If we choose to do the things that the Prophet asks, then we need to do them. I think that the blessings we've been promised are a hard thing to realize because they aren't always immediate, neither are they always eminent. How do blessings come to us, and are we aware that they are there. No. Would we realize life was any different if we didn't get them. I believe in some circumstances, yes, but not always. Each decision we make in life is going to lead us somewhere, regardless of how small that decision may be at one point in life, they may have huge consequences later on. Ryan, you have a Heavenly Father that knows and loves you. He told us that He would send us the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost when we needed it. I know that this decision is yours and that this may not sway you, or even that you will ever read this, but if you do, remember that you have a promise that if you are truly searching then you can receive an answer. I think that is what it says basically in James 1:5, that if you lack wisdom, that you can get it and you won't be upbraided for it. Anyway Ryan, I myself consider you a friend and always will. We had some fun together in Jr. High school with the whole Stonehenge thing and those apartments were always fun to run around in. Ryan, I know that this church is true, and I've had my shares of ups and downs and searching. It took a good friend to help me, even though I haven't been the best at helping where help is needed. You have a wonderful wife, who I'm sure will be willing to help where you need her too, and be sensitive to your needs, as well as her family.

Well, now that I've spent almost an hour writing this blog, I should get back to work. Remember that I'm trying to do what I can and that I do care.

Ouch!!!

So I get this call from Chels yesterday that she has just gotten off the phone with Tiaree who is at school and her arm hurts and she wants to come home. Come to find out, she was playing at the playground before school started and she was standing on the end of the slide and feel off. She hurt her arm and was crying, her classmates were there to comfort her and make sure she was ok. When she went into class and started a writing assignment, she complained to the teacher that her arm hurt and that she wanted to go home. The teacher let her go to the office and call Chels and tell her what happened. Well we went to the Dr. and she has a broken arm. She broke the arm bone at the wrist and so she will be in a cast for the next few weeks that goes up above her elbow. It's sad, but she's in high spirits and did a great job at the Dr. They didn't have to set anything so that was a bonus and so there was really no pain involved at the Dr. for her. We discussed the whole thing of standing on stuff and told her that it's not a good idea and she has finally agreed. She will get the cast on on Monday for now it's in a splint.

Gonna Blog Today

So it's Wednesday and I rode the bus and train into work today. I don't mind riding the bus and the train it gives me a chance to catch up on some reading. The bus takes about 45 minutes and the train is about 30 and the walk to the bus stop is usually like 15 or 20 depending on how late I leave the house and how fast I really want to walk. Well upon getting to the end of my street today, I realized that I had forgotten something and it was going to make the day a little blurry. Yep you guessed it, my glasses, didn't have time to put contacts in this morning so I was going to wear my glasses and I forgot them. Kind of sucks having blurry vision, reading my monitor isn't too bad, but anything beyond that, arghhhhh!

Now back to the whole bus/train thing. I like to think of myself as curtious and offer my seat to someone that may need it more than I. Like an elderly person or a woman, espically if she's hot...haha, just kidding. So I was looking around, through blurry vision, and noticed a lot of women and older people standing while young guys just sat there on their butts. Now I'm not saying they are in the wrong and they may have some issues about standing all the way downtown or to the U, but for the most part, I'm guessing that they are just a little lazy. Anyway, I wanted to gripe about that and now it's off my chest and alls well. Time to work again...

Funny Stuff

So I was reading some news today and read an article about the new "Got Milk?" ads that are currently airing. (Watch) I think they are funny and I think that they did a good job making a parody of the Steroids issues in baseball. Anyway, just wanted to get the word out there. These are pretty funny.

Great Weekend!!!

This last weekend was probably one of the best weekends I've ever had. I scheduled Friday, Saturday and Sunday off Albertson's so I could do some "family stuff" which made the weekend rather full anyway. So, to recap....

Friday - took a half day off Delco. Original plan to go to Lagoon with Alythea was scrapped because we had to follow up on some other things for Saturday. So, ran a few errands and got all are P's and Q's in order to insure a successful Saturday (which I'll comment on in a minute) and then had a nice dinner with the wife and kids at home. Watched a movie and called it an early night.

Saturday - Got up and bought breakfast burritos from Beto's. (If you haven't had one, try one. They are GREAT!!!!) Loaded the kids up and we all went to the Salt Lake Temple. We had an appointment to get our family sealed together for time and all eternity. The kids looked really good in their white outfits. The temple workers in the youth center did a really good job of making sure their hair and attire was perfect for this wonderful occasion. It was a wonderful day.

Since Aly and I didn't go to Lagoon on Friday, we decided to go after our luncheon at Grandma's house. The kids went to the movies with a couple of friends and Aly and I had the night to ourselves. We went through a couple of spook alleys, watched a couple of shows, rode a ride, then called it a night. We went home to rest and relax.

Sunday - Finally got to go to church. The last time I was actually there was before Labor Day weekend. It was good to go and listen and participate. I really miss going to church and you don't realize how much till you go and find out what you've been missing out on.

So, that was the weekend. It was pretty good. Got a few things done around the house, spent some time with the kids and wife, and got some time to relax. We start the week off with another hectic Monday and it gets busier from there.

Our Rights?

Ok, so I can't believe the lengths that Homeland Security is going to to "protect" us. I just found this website: http://www.license.shorturl.com/ and it is amazing what you can find. I found that you can view your drivers license online. They say that this is to help protect us but I think it's an invasion of rights. It was freaky, I searched for myself and there I was, picture and all. Luckily you can remove your license from the database. All you have to do is fill it in, name, city, state and when it pulls up your license you can click the "remove me" button. It's good because it removes it from public access but not from law enforcement. I suggest everyone go here and do that so that you can keep yourself safe. No counting on the government to do it.

Batman Movies

Sunday we got the new Batman Begins movie, and watched it. With Chels working at Hollywood video we get pre-releases. Anyway, so we thought it would be cool to get Batman and go on from there. So about 45 minutes into Batman last night, I was done. Batman Begins is a far better movie all around. Christian Bale is a way better Batman than Micheal Keaton. As for the stories, and the movies themselves, Begins is a good introduction to why Bruce Wayne is Batman, and there is a lot more action in Begins. As far as Batman, it's good and it shows how Batman becomes a hero in Gotham and how he strikes fear in the "bad guys". Batman, however, should have been called Joker, because the story is more centered around him and how he becomes the bad guy. You barely know Bruce Wayne and who he is. Don't take my word for it, Batman Begins comes out today, go rent it and then watch Batman. You should see a total difference. Anyway, that's all for today.

Tests

I did the test Chels posted plus a couple of others from the same site.

You Are 70% Boyish and 30% Girlish

You are pretty evenly split down the middle - a total eunuch. Okay, kidding about the eunuch part. But you do get along with both sexes. You reject traditional gender roles. However, you don't actively fight them. You're just you. You don't try to be what people expect you to be.

How Boyish or Girlish Are You?

Your Irish Name Is...

Lugh O'Callaghan

What's your Irish Name?

You Are 50% Weird

Normal enough to know that you're weird... But too damn weird to do anything about it!

How Weird Are You?

You Are Somewhat Machiavellian

You're not going to mow over everyone to get ahead... But you're also powerful enough to make things happen for yourself. You understand how the world works, even when it's an ugly place. You just don't get ugly yourself - unless you have to!

How Machiavellian Are You?

Snickers

Nutty and gooey - you always satisfy.

What Kind of Candy Are You?